Getting Through
by Phalanx30
Summary: What can a snap decision mean? How would it affect everyone? An AU of Wild at Heart.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up Season 4 "Wild at Heart"

Getting Through

Chapter 1: A Second Too Late

Buffy was running, she and Oz had to get to Willow before Veruca could hurt her. Oz was more worried about Veruca killing Willow when the moon's power hit her and she turned into the animal he was also.

Oz lost Buffy as she ran into somebody, he couldn't think about that, he had to reach Willow as soon as he could. He kept running, he could feel the wolf within him, giving him speed, it was almost time. He thought as he ran '_Not enough time, if I wolf out near Willow, I might kill her, just like Veruca. That's what she's planning._'

Buffy was incensed, she was trying to save one of her best friends, and this moron had to pick this moment to screw things up. She took a moment to vent her frustration on the camouflaged man who had knocked her down. She punched him across the face. He went down, got back up, looking for a fight. It was rather short, as the next punch Buffy sent his way rocked his head back. He went down again, and didn't get back up. Buffy grabbed her tranquilizer gun and sprinted away.

She reached where she knew Willow, and thus Veruca and Oz, would be. She entered the room, surveyed the scene and fired two quick shots. They both hit their targets. It was then that she heard Willow's whimpered yet loud "Buffy!" The reason it was loud, Willow was incredibly scared, she was shaking. The reason for the whimper was the wolf that had her arm clamped in its mouth. The wolf, she had seen before, it was short and black. Many was the night she had kept Willow company watching him. Now she thought '_Well, guess I'll can take over wolf-watching duty, for the both of them._ _Stupid commando guy!"_

She moved over to Willow, noting the other dead wolf in the room '_That must be Veruca, this is just perfect, I thought getting out of high school was going to make things easier._' She pried the wolf from Willow and hugged her friend as she let go, collapsed, and sobbed into Buffy. It went on for a while. Willow had to face a lot this day, and from here on she would have to face more. She got Willow some medical attention, and came back for Oz, who she shot once more for good measure and because she wanted to, and put him back in his cage. Soon it was going to be a room for two.

! #$%^&amp;*()

It was the next day, and Buffy knew Willow was talking with Oz. She had just finished bringing Giles up to speed on what happened. She was just outside the door to Oz's room, when she heard on the other side of the door a distinct voice say "My whole life I've never loved anything else." Moments later, the door opened and the owner of the voice moved past her and headed outside. Buffy glanced into the room where Willow was crying once again, she noted the bandages on Willow's arm where Oz had bitten her. Buffy turned and caught up to the person who had hurt her friend so much yesterday. "So, Oz, what are you doing with that bag."

"I'm leaving." was all he could say, if he thought about it for much longer, he wouldn't be able to go through with it. He had to go, he would just hurt everyone more if he stayed.

Buffy had the opposite thought '_How dare he._' and she said "You're what?" with the kind of intent that anybody who had met angry Buffy knew to be wary of when it was used.

Oz was not very perceptive at the moment, he missed the danger in her voice and he answered without the required thought "I have to."

He was, therefore, surprised when he felt himself grabbed by the blond slayer, who shoved and held him against the wall. Her eyes were narrowed, Oz should have been terrified "You what!? You have to, is that right. Well, change of plans, you better follow me, I don't want to haul you back in there, but I will if I have to." Buffy wished he wouldn't follow her, it would be a good outlet to grab Oz by the scruff of his shirt and drag him back. Wishes weren't coming true today, as Oz followed her silently.

As they came back into the room, Willow was still looking outside watching Oz's van, waiting for it to drive away. Her face was still soaked in tears. Buffy caught her attention "Um...Wil...okay, I know I might be sticking my nose where it doesn't belong, well anyway, Oz sit the hell down, and stay!"

Oz did as he was told as Willow looked on in confusion. Buffy looked at both "Alright, Willow, stoic guy over here said he was leaving. Do you want him to go?"

"N-No." Willow sniffled.

Buffy turned to Oz who seemed unaffected on the outside, but he was steadily swinging to '_Maybe I shouldn't leave._' in his ever-whirling thoughts. Buffy didn't appreciate his thoughtfulness, not even a little bit. "What about you? Are you saying you want this" she pointed at the slowly non-tearful Willow "to happen?"

Oz stared at the girl he loved "No, but I still have to go." said girl looked ready to revert to sob-y Willow, that seemed to be her new default state.

Buffy thought that Giles would call her 'meddlesome' but she didn't care, her friend was hurting, going through the same things Buffy had went through when Angel left. If she could save Willow from that, she would. "You're a coward, I once called you the loyal type, but all you are is a sniveling little coward."

Willow tried to speak up, Buffy was wrong, Oz had good reasons for leaving "Buffy, don't-"

"Sorry, but I'm on a roll here, so Oz let's see. So far you've cheated on my friend with another wolf, she tries to kill Willow, you stop her and almost kill your girlfriend anyway. And to top it all off you've made her a werewolf. And now what you're just gonna pack up and leave her to deal with all that alone!?" Buffy was stalking back and forth, she would have a really good time patrolling tonight, she seriously hoped to run into something she could pummel.

Oz couldn't really defend himself, so he sat there, looking at Willow, and he remembered all the time he had spent with her. How much he had missed her when he had broken up with her, and how happy he became once he had reconciled with her. He remembered how useless he felt when she was captured by the Mayor and Faith. And finally he went back to minutes ago when she had asked 'Don't you love me?' He looked at her again, and the answer became easy "No, I'm not going to leave, not now anyway You can sit down now Buffy, thanks."

"What? Are you sure? I mean I don't want-" Willow was still trying to process everything. Something she hadn't given much thought to before now forced its way to the surface. '_Oh, that's right, werewolf now. I get bitten by a vampire for the first time, and now I'm a werewolf._' "Alright mister, are you staying for good or is this just a limited-time thing."

Oz, who was now thinking about how he should change the cage, replied "I don't know, but I'll stay for your first change, at least."

Willow was about to respond when Buffy interrupted "Oh great, now I'm the werewolf couples therapist."

Oz looked at her with a smirk "I guess so."

Willow remained on the topic at hand "That's fine for now, but you can't just spring the leaving thing on me like that. Ooh, maybe I could find a collar for you." At the odd look from Buffy she clarified "A mystical one, so he can't pull the whole 'disappeared' act when he's with the band."

"Wil, I said I wasn't going anywhere, I know I've broken your trust, but I mean that." Oz looked more than his usual thoughtful self.

Buffy just shook her head "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to see things I don't want to with you two." She glanced between them and saw no reassurances coming. '_Great, I just wanted to protect my friend, now I'm probably going to be a dog-sitter, well at least I can take a break from my usual weird nights, and replace them with other weirdness. My best friend and her boyfriend, and I'll have to watch them, I don't want Xander doing it, maybe Giles could. This was so not in the job description._'


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up Season 4 "Wild at Heart"

Getting Through

Chapter 2

Buffy was in the cafeteria at UC Sunnydale, trying to muddle her way through what seemed to be a maze of food service options. She was trying to block out all the help that Parker Abrams had given her with perils that came with getting that essential sustenance.

Thinking about him and her reaction to him, combined with what had happened to Willow caused her anger to flare as well as her strength, causing the frozen yogurt machine to begin spewing its contents all over her bowl with no way to stop it.

She heard conversation and laughter in the dining area behind and to her left, she turned, hoping nobody had seen her bust the machine, that had now stopped its river of pinkish-red yogurt, because she had bent the nozzle. She looked over the assorted student-filled tables and noticed Professor's Walsh's TA sitting with what she assumed were his friends.

What struck her was the nose brace and two black eyes he was sporting, and her eyes narrowed and she thought '_So, Riley Finn, how did you get those? It wouldn't happen to be because you were running around in camo gear the other day?' _Buffy's slayer senses weren't attuned to human threats, but she would recognize her handiwork. Riley must have been stronger than average, otherwise, how could he be up so soon after she had knocked him senseless? It helped that she hadn't seen anyone else on campus having similar injuries.

Buffy decided about Mr. Finn, it had been his fault that Willow was a werewolf, and that she almost experienced the same heartbreak that Buffy had gone through when Angel left. Buffy's decision involved any future interactions with the ever so helpful TA, she would be curt but polite, he would never find out anything about her, and she would try to find out as much as she could about why he was running around playing soldier-boy.

If Buffy's life were a book, the next chapter had been vastly rewritten with that one decision.

! #$%^&amp;*()

Oz had begged off classes for the day, he needed to talk to someone about what had happened. He was still dealing with the fact that he had almost killed the girl, who was rapidly blossoming into the woman, he loved.

When he had first met her, she had been a whiz with computers and very serious about her studies, now she was that and a magic user who was strong enough to forcibly move a soul, and she had done that when she was hurt.

Oz had two choices about who to go to for help. Xander and Giles were not at the college. And Oz thought that while Xander had his moments. He wasn't one for the deep and meaningful. The source, in this case, for consistent and well-thought out wisdom was Giles.

He knocked on the door to Giles' apartment, the former watcher answered the door rather quickly. Oz saw the older man was dressed as if he were going out somewhere, which was in contrast to his usual recent lax appearance.

Giles was confused, this was a first, Oz hadn't sought him out alone before "Hello, do you need something?"

"Yeah, I need to figure out what to do now." Oz was hoping he wasn't intruding, Giles seemed restless.

Giles was brought up short, this really wasn't a good time for the sort of lengthy discussion the young man would need "I was just leaving, can it wait?"

"I guess, but it's about Willow." Oz said quietly.

Giles sighed in turn "I suppose you can join me if you like, but please don't tell anyone about this later."

"Sure." Oz was puzzled, it sounded like Giles was ashamed of where he was going.

Oz was in the passenger seat of Giles' car, they were in the neighborhood around Giles apartment. Giles didn't seem to be in a hurry, wherever they were going, Giles wasn't concerned about time. He glanced at the werewolf "Well, what about Willow?"

"It's just, I don't know how she can look at me after what I did, and then there's Buffy, has she always been that scary?" Oz looked around, they were leaving the residential area and nearing one of Sunnydale's many cemetaries.

Giles remembered what Buffy had told him, both before and after her intervention on Willow's behalf. He also thought of those times when she was determined about something, she could be quite imposing when provoked. Giles snorted "Yes, she can be intimidating, what did she say?"

"She called me a coward, I was trying to keep from hurting Willow more than I already have. I thought leaving was the only way." Oz looked out and saw that the car had stopped at a cemetery.

Giles got out of the car and motioned for Oz to follow him as he walked into the graveyard. When Oz caught up to Giles, the older man said "This should serve as an object lesson."

"Why?" Oz found himself and Giles standing in front of a white headstone with a dull bronze nameplate. It was next to a small pond. The name was familiar but Oz couldn't place it immediately.

Giles stared at the grave and spoke quietly, as if he were in a library. "We always think we'll have more time, when the truth is, we have less than we know. I did some running of my own, when I found out Jenny's secret, I recoiled out of loyalty to Buffy. It seemed perfectly reasonable then, in the end it was a trite reaction that just led to more grief. Forgiveness would have been a better response, at least I could have had more moments with her and possibly told her how I felt."

"I know that, it's just how do I deal with Willow, let's say she lets me be a part of her life, what do I do?" Oz noticed that some of the grass around the grave was matted down, like someone had stood or sat on it many times.

Giles didn't raise his voice or look at the werewolf "Spend what time you can with her, make sure she knows how you feel, that will eat at you, having regrets and things left unsaid. You never know when it will end."

"How often do you come here?" Oz was curious, Giles seemed like he was always, except for some few lapses, centered with everything under control. Maybe this was why.

Giles turned to look at his companion then, this was a question he didn't like answering, even though he was no longer a watcher or a librarian, he sought to keep up some distance and the appearance of being unaffected by all the various misfortunes that he had endured, he was supposed to be a guide of sorts to Buffy and her friends. He couldn't do that if they realized he was still coping with events that had happened more than a year ago. "Less than I used to, I come here and tell her whats been happening, both with me and all of you. I believe she listens, and as this is the hellmouth, stranger things have happened."

"I get that, I'm sorry I insisted on talking with you, this is supposed to be private." Oz turned to walk away, leaving Giles to his silent and solitary vigil.

Giles reflected on his early visits. How he had wept over her. His tears were long spent, and he smiled, thinking about the vampires who had mistaken him for an easy kill, and why wouldn't they, there he would be, at night, in the middle of the cemetery, seemingly oblivious to the world around him. It wasn't so, and at least three of them had found out why he was a watcher, their dust was their only remnant.

! #$%^&amp;*()

Oz had taken Giles' advice to heart, as he spent the rest of the day with Willow, at least when classes didn't interfere. He had feared she wouldn't want him to be around, especially after what he had done. Her relief that he hadn't left won out over any bitterness.

They were in her dorm room studying together, Riley had come by earlier, seeking information about Buffy, he had been shooed away rather quickly by Willow who had talked with Buffy about him.

They spent the day going over mutual homework, and getting Oz caught up in the class he had missed while talking with Giles. After a while, the schoolwork was completed and the conversation turned to personal matters. Willow was concerned about her new wolfy status. She was on her bed while Oz was sitting across from her on Buffy's bed. "What does it feel like when the..." she hesitated and gulped "'change' happens?"

"The first time, it's very sudden, if you try to fight, it will only hurt worse, just let it happen. The biggest problem will be the next morning, It'll be like the aftermath of the worst hangover, you won't know where you are at first, and you'll feel like you've run all night, so hungry and a little tired." Oz recalled his first change, how he had woken up in the woods.

Willow shifted a little, as she thought about how she would change, it was not a comfortable subject "Does it get any better? After the first time?"

"It hurts less, and if you're in the cage, the not knowing where you are is less of an issue, also there is more memory, at first you'll get nothing, and slowly, there'll be feelings and sensations, and eventually snapshots of some of what you see while the wolf has control." Oz still dreamed of her face right before he had bitten her, so scared, and yet still hopeful that he would stop himself from hurting her.

Willow smiled, then frowned, "So, feelings huh, could you tell who was around, by smell and such?"

"Yeah..." Oz would have told her how she was quite unique to the wolf, she wasn't calming, but there was a sense of warmth when she was in the room, the wolf wanted to be closer to her, unfortunately that involved teeth and claws, and an over-eagerness that would lead inevitably to either her death or her current situation. He would have said most of this but there was a knock at the door.

Willow, thinking it was Buffy coming back from a patrol that involved the Frat house where Riley lived, called out "Come in, it's just us, making with the wolfy talk."

It wasn't Buffy, it was Spike looking for Buffy, he came through and closed the door behind him, he smirked "Oh look, it's dog boy and Red. And here I am, just starving."

Oz lept up, reached under the bed and grabbed the first thing he touched, it was vial of holy water, before he could do anything with it Spike had closed on him, grabbed Oz and threw him across the room, Oz met up with the closet door and was knocked out.

Willow was defenseless, it was all too sudden for a floating pencil attack. After Spike had dealt with Oz he turned to Willow.

"So, I wonder if you'll scream." Spike's face vamped out, and pushed Willow on the bed, he loomed over her, she screamed until he bit her. The pain and rising coldness from losing her blood caused her eyes to widen immensely.

Her next to last thought was '_I wonder if he'll make me a vampire, it would fit with these last couple of days, and I'm going to die._'

Spike was enjoying the steadily slackening body beneath him, feeling the rush of the blood, it had a weird taste, but he had definitely had worse. He was so focused on his current meal, and her weakening struggles, that he was caught off guard when the bottle of holy water smashed against the side of his face. He was torn from Willow, took a swipe at Oz, sending him to the floor again. Willow's eyes fluttered closed from relief. At that moment the lights in the dorm went out and Spike could hear people outside the door preparing to come in, Spike decided to cut his losses and leave. He was almost out of the door when it opened.

Spike hurled himself at the commando's that had captured him earlier, he took a swing at one only to have a searing pain in his head send him reeling. Spike rolled with the pain and bodily slammed into another, taking them both out into the hallway. While the soldier's were dealing with Spike, Oz picked himself up to check on Willow.

She did not look good, Spike had taken a lot of blood from her, and she was trying to staunch the wounds in neck with her hand. Her eyes opened, locked on Oz's and closed again, while her hand slumped off her neck and more blood leaked out before he could move.

Oz cried out "Willow!" as Giles words came back to him '_you never know when it's going to end._' He tore off a hasty bandage and hoped he hadn't just watched her die.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up Season 4 "Wild at Heart"

**Author's note: **As with all of my stories, suggestions about future plot developments are welcome and wanted, Reviews of any kind are neat as well.

Getting Through

Chapter 3

Oz had used his makeshift bandage to staunch the flow of blood from the wound on Willow's neck, there were still sounds of fighting out in the hall, and then someone crashed through a window and the fighting died down. After the lights came back on, Buffy appeared in the doorway, she had the glint of hostility waiting to be unleashed in her eyes, and then she saw what had happened.

"How is she?" Buffy's look softened when she saw how Willow was unmoving, though thankfully, Buffy could see she was still breathing.

Oz glanced over before turning his attention back to Willow "She'll live, why was Spike here anyway?"

"He was looking for me, How'd he hurt her? When he was fighting those commando guys just now, he kept acting like it hurt him when he tried to attack them or me." Buffy moved into the room and helped to move Willow so she was fully on the bed.

Oz thought for a moment "He seemed like a normal vampire when he was in here, he threw me around like a ragdoll, and then he focused on..." he trailed off when looked back towards Willow.

"We'll talk to Giles about it, for now I'm gonna see if I can track Spike, if he can't fight me, now might be the perfect time to get rid of him. Take care of her, okay." And Buffy went off on her mission.

Oz thought '_Did she seriously tell me to take care of Wil, yeah, I guess she would want to make sure, the last time things got heavy I almost left._' he was torn from his thoughts by Willow moving and sounding like she was coming around, he knelt down and brushed a hand through her hair. He smiled as saw her eyes blink and open, and he whispered "Hey"

"Oz, why does everybody keep biting me? What happened?" she said softly as she tried to sit up, but she wobbled and sank back down.

Oz drifted for a bit, trying to hold back his shame at being one of the 'everybody' that she was talking about. It seeped into his voice anyway "I'm sorry, he was too fast, I got him with holy water, and Buffy thinks she can track him, how do you feel?"

"It's not you, I'm just having a crappy time, thanks for saving me. I felt dizzy when I tried to get up." Willow lit up the room with her grin, this whole thing could have turned out much worse.

At least that's what Oz was thinking, and he made a decision, getting rather intense "About that saving you thing, I said earlier I would stay for your first change and that I might leave after, forget that, I'll stay as long you'll let me. Now, just rest, anything you need, I'll get it."

"Some water would be good, so you're gonna be nurse Oz tonight?" Willow thought about what he said '_As long as I want, wow, and just the other day he was set on leaving._'

Oz was perfectly willing to be whatever she needed, after he came back with a glass of water "At your service, nurse, waiter, alarm clock if you want."

"Blanky?" she said as she started drifting off again.

Oz took the request literally, as he got on the bed and pulled a loose blanket with him, covering them both. Following her into sleep with a '_I'm Willow_-_centered now, well this is better than being lonely on-the-road guy."_

1111111111

It was the next morning, and Oz awoke feeling quite warm, The redhead next to him might have something to do with that. She was still asleep, she certainly needed it, almost being drained dry by a vampire would tire a person out. Of course, the usual ending for an attack like that involved never waking up.

He was curled protectively around her, and loathe as he was to move, his body wouldn't let him stay. He got up and was about to head to the bathroom when he looked over to the other bed to find Buffy awake as well and watching him and Willow, it looked like she had been doing this for a while. She looked pleased but sad at the same time.

Oz was right about it, Buffy was happy for Willow, the fact that she had prevented Oz from leaving and sparing Willow the anguish of being abandoned was a source of pride that she had done something remarkable. She was sad that she was unable to share these innocently sweet moments with anyone, the vampire she loved was in L.A. trying his best to stay away from her.

Buffy was torn from her melancholy by Oz "What's up?" he whispered as he gently moved away from Willow, she murmured but did not wake.

"Nothing, I was just soaking in the cuteness, there hasn't been much lately. I almost had Spike last night, but he escaped, why can't he be like other dusty things?" Buffy was equally quiet, not wanting to disturb her sleeping friend, she remembered her own vampire draining experience, Angel had tried his best to stop, but it almost didn't matter, in any case, she needed a good rest afterwords.

Oz almost laughed, Buffy could be quite entertaining when she was unable to kill something, it was like someone else being denied something they really wanted "You'll get him next time."

Buffy thought about that for a second "Yeah, next time." and she thought about who would help her with that, her first stop would be Giles, as she got up and left the room.

Oz looked at Willow for a moment, he wouldn't be long, he'd return to her side and resume his blanket duties.

2222222222

After classes were done, Buffy went quickly to Giles' place. She found him in his usual state, sans Olivia, which she was grateful for, she had placed Giles in the "father figure" spot in her life. She couldn't quite think of him in another way.

She had told him about Riley, and her fight with the commandos in the dorm, and the inexplicable reaction from Spike, both in the dorm, and when she caught up to him later that night. He had escaped, once he realized he couldn't really fight her effectively.

Then she asked the first of a number of questions "When Spike first got to my room, he almost killed Willow, now, that fits with the vampire thing, but it he can't hurt humans without getting a really bad headache, how in the hell was he able to bite her?"

"You said these soldiers were there before you?" Giles asked, when his Slayer nodded, he continued "It would stand to reason that they were tracking him somehow, we don't really know where he's been since you took the Gem of Amara away from him. It's possible that this reaction to humans is artificial in nature."

Buffy thought about that "So, he could've been part of some experiment?" Giles nodded a yes to her question, and she returned to her original line of thought "Okay, but how come he could go after Willow, and, Oz said Spike dealt with him easily."

"Both of them? Well, there's a clue, perhaps their lycanthropy is to blame." Giles cleaned his glasses, he wasn't nervous, this was an interesting, if horrific side effect of Willow's new werewolf aspect.

Buffy thought about that '_Wonderful, the gift that keeps on giving.' _But to Giles she changed the subject "I need some help, If only Faith wasn't in a coma and, you know, evil."

"Indeed, I'm sorry, we're a bit stretched at the moment." Giles thought over possible sources of help, and came up with a whole bunch of nothing. He was no longer part of the Council, and the only other group he knew of was in L.A., and there was a can of worms he wasn't prepared to open quite yet.

Buffy was doing some thinking of her own, and she did not have the same reservations "Right, I know, and it's only going to get worse around the full moon."

Giles had to agree with that.

3333333333

The phone rang, it was answered with a cheery "Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless."

Even though Buffy knew Cordelia worked with Angel in some way, it was still odd to hear her being so professional, in all the time Buffy had known her, Cordelia had almost always had the 'popular girl' tone and attitude, the change was subtle yet noticeable and welcome.

Buffy got right to the point "Hey Cordelia, It's your not-so-good friend from Sunnydale. I can guess from your intro that it could be a bad time to call, but I need to talk to Angel."

"Uh huh, just let me get him." Cordelia was not happy about this at all; she set the phone down to go find Angel, which wasn't hard; the offices weren't that big. All the while thinking '_Great, we're finally getting settled, and "Ms. Don't love me, but go ahead and bite me" just has to call. And this'll be terrible for business.' _

Soon, she found Angel downstairs with the last member of the team, Doyle. They were going over the latest vision Doyle had received when Cordelia interrupted them with a loud "Ahem!"

Angel looked up with annoyance and sadness, the vision involved a subject he had been trying to avoid since he had arrived in Los Angeles "What is it, Cordy?"

"You've got a call." she said with exasperation, if he was going to be annoyed, she was going to let stumble onto whatever mess Buffy had waiting for him on his own.

By the time Angel reached the phone he was wondering who was calling him '_Is it Kate, does she have a case for me, maybe it's an actual client, we could really use some more of those.' _He picked up the phone and asked "Hello?"

On the other end Buffy had started to wonder if Cordelia had simply left her without hanging up, she thought they had parted on good terms, but maybe working with Angel had given her a different take on things, however; now that she heard Angel's voice, there was a certain amount of relief "Angel, how have you been, did you get to use that gem thingy?"

Angel recalled, with a definite fondness, the time he had spent wearing the Gem of Amara, how the warmth of the sun felt, it was almost like being human again "Yeah I did, thanks for sending it to me, what's going on Buffy, I bet you didn't call just to chat, right?"

"No I didn't, actually I need your help, Oz and Willow had a spat, and now she's just like him now. Also, Spike's back in town and it wouldn't hurt to have someone who knows him, so, will you come to Sunnydale, maybe bring your group as well, I don't know how much help Cordelia could be, but you never know." Buffy was hoping for quick answer, she knew, the more time Angel had to think about it, the more reasons he would create to justify not helping her.

Her hopes were dashed as Angel sighed "I'll have to get everyone here to agree, if they do, we'll be there."

"It wasn't what I was hoping for, but it's not the worst answer you could've given me, call me back when you know." Buffy was trying to keep steady voice, Angel could always bring out strong emotions in her.

After he had hung up the phone Angel turned to Cordelia and Doyle, they had been watching his call with interest, any interaction with Buffy could cause serious trouble for them. Angel confirmed this when he said to Doyle with a smile "Did your vision about Buffy include a phone call?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up Season 4 "Wild at Heart"

**Author's note: **As with all of my stories, suggestions about future plot developments are welcome and wanted, Reviews of any kind are neat as well.

Getting Through

Chapter 4

Decisions have consequences.

For instance, at an important point in time, Buffy decided to vent her frustration and anger on the commando guy who ran into her. This led to a sharp but one-sided fight. However, because of this delay, her best friend was almost killed by a werewolf.

That werewolf did the biting thing. Now Willow was cursed the same way. Buffy had become protective over her friend because of this. She was nearby when Oz made the pivotal decision to leave. Buffy had destroyed this plan quickly and harshly. She spared Willow the agony of having to endure watching the one she loved walk away from her.

These decisions had other effects, like ripples in a pond. Because Willow was a werewolf, and Oz had stayed, they both confronted Spike while he was looking for Buffy. Spike was able to harm both of them. Leading to a far different course of events for him.

Also, Riley Finn had a similar experience as he had been forced to mend the injuries Buffy had inflicted upon him, thus revealing his identity, and casting a pall over any future interactions between himself and the Slayer. Finally Willow and Oz's vulnerabilities forced the gang to seek new allies. This had led Buffy to call Angel, and ask for his help with the threat of Spike, and the delayed strain that Willow's new werewolf status would add to the group.

These ripples would continue. Buffy and Giles had discussed finding help, given that Faith was still in a coma, and Giles was apparently reticent about asking the souled vampire for aid. Buffy had made another decision, seemingly in spite of Giles. But not really, as Angel and the former watcher had come to an outward understanding. Angel knew what Angelus had done, and Giles knew they were in fact two different beings. The demon who had tortured him was not same as the vampire who had helped so greatly in the fight against the Mayor and his minions, and then in a moment of incredible sacrifice, had left Buffy behind, knowing that she deserved better.

To add to these changes, Angel was initially going to come to Sunnydale to deal with Doyle's vision in a covert way, so that he wouldn't hurt Buffy more by his presence. Now with her call and sanction, he and his group, balance demon Doyle and aspiring actress turned secretary/consultant Cordelia, could come in the open. The two groups, Scooby gang and Angel Investigations, could coordinate and plan. However, there were still events that were going to happen in Los Angeles regardless of whether Angel was there or not.

So when an assassin, in the form of a Mohra demon, came calling at Angel's office. It did not find its target. The Mohra wasn't one to give up. So it began the painstaking task of tracking Angel. It's target had moved, and he would be found.

Also, a rogue demon hunter, formerly of the watcher's council, was steadily making his way to the city. He was on the trail of a rather slippery demon. He would succeed in finding a de-horned demon, who died shortly after being discovered. However, the empathic demon he was actually trailing had avoided him and remained a danger for those unfortunate enough to come across his perceptive abilities.

Coming back around to Sunnydale. A convergence began when Xander had unintentionally released a vengeful Chumash spirit. Yet again decisions made had a marked impact. For Willow, if on that tragic day, Oz had left, Willow would have sought stability in her life. She had her friends, her studies, and magic. She would have leaned on each of those pillars. Willow could garner support from her friends easily, and give it out in turn.

She would also take her studies very seriously and become increasingly vehement with her opinions. This would lead to arguments among her and her friends regarding the Chumash tribe. These arguments could have led to a disjointed response. This might have ended tragically.

As it was Willow retained those things she wanted. Aside from her new wolfiness, which was a gift she would gladly return if she could. Her and Oz helped Giles with the research. With Xander laid up with various diseases, courtesy of the Chumash spirit, and Anya interested in tending to him. It was the two werewolves that went to warn the dean of the school while the rest of the gang holed up in what Willow had dubbed "Fort Giles."

They were not alone on their return trip.

Angel and his group had voted (Angel and Doyle for going to Sunnydale, and Cordelia for staying out of that crazy, messed up place) and they had temporarily established themselves in Angel's former mansion. After that Angel had sought out Buffy, to get the details Doyle hadn't seen in his vision. Such as who exactly was after her. Buffy had called Angel when the big attack came on Thanksgiving.

So it was that Willow and Oz were joined in the cavalry role by Angel Investigations. While the Chumash warriors had their attentions directed toward Buffy and the rest. Xander had been wounded trying to help Buffy defend her nearly complete dinner. The defense was ably holding out. Even worse for the Chumash, they had to turn their focus to the new group.

Angel led the charge, which in hindsight was slightly foolish given the weapons the enemy preferred (bows and arrows) but his speed and reflexes were able offset much of the danger. Doyle helped out with his slight demonic strength, Cordelia, Willow, and Oz grabbed shovels. Unfortunately for the warriors that had to fight this group, the werewolves were aggressive, and protective over each other, a few were rendered combat ineffective, decapitation by spade couldn't kill them, but it could slow them down.

The only real moment of kinda levity was when Angel and Buffy ganged up on the first Chumash spirit warrior, the one who started everything. Buffy had gotten slightly wounded, and Angel had overreacted, and savagely broke the warrior's neck. It didn't kill him, but Buffy was able to dispatch him shortly after. This brought back uncomfortable associations for the whole group except for Anya and Doyle.

The ensuing Thanksgiving meal was a culinary success, with a very slight tension, that was only noticed by those who knew Buffy and Angel's history. Giles was initially wary of their relationship, Angel losing his soul didn't help, but he had gotten past that. Giles was trained to face various horrors.

What Giles had against Angel went more to the heart of his own relationship with Buffy. Angel could influence and guide Buffy in ways Giles had a hard time countering. Their proximity during the meal hadn't helped matters.

When the group had dispersed after the turkey induced sleepiness, Doyle had seemingly been hit with another vision. Giles had been interested in this new-found source of intelligence. Doyle had noticed the watcher's discomfort during dinner. So he had faked a vision.

"So, what is it with you and my boss?" Doyle had asked when Giles had kept mumbling about 'willful girls' and finishing off what was left of the wine.

Giles had looked up sharply, he had forgotten about the presence of the (though he didn't know it) half-demon "How do you mean?"

"Well, whenever you looked at him, you got this frown." Doyle said simply, thinking through the dinner.

Giles scoffed "It's complicated, I take it from your visions that you are familiar with Angel's history."

"Did you have some experience with his evil side?" Doyle was wondering about this, Angel made brief references to his time in Sunnydale, and while Doyle knew the outline of the story, he wasn't briefed on the details by the Powers.

Giles actually laughed at this "That's an understatement, but that's not why I don't like having him around. He's potentially dangerous, yes, but he is also unsettling for Buffy."

It was at this point that Doyle actually did get a vision. It was brief flashes of Angel's stint as Angelus, his humiliation and tormenting of Buffy and her mother, his attacks on Willow and Xander, and his unfortunate focus on Giles. After the vision ended, Doyle let go of his head and looked at the older man "You're something else, how can you do it, you sat here all night, making small talk and having a good time, with Angel acting like nothing needed to be said."

For Giles, seeing Doyle undergo the vision made him feel sympathy for his guest "What was that? That was one those visions you told us about. I don't know, with Angel, what the hell should I be doing. Acting irrationally, be frightened out of my senses. None of that would make any difference. Everything you talked about is in the past, and aside from using some very dangerous magic, it should remain there."

Doyle hated those kinds of visions, the ones about future events were better, at least there was the possibility that they could be stopped. These other visions, the ones about the past, seemed like they were mostly useless. "Yeah, vision of Angel's grand old evil time, wow, and I thought I knew what I was getting into. I mean vampire, I knew that going in. But that tosser, what's with the eccentric stuff?"

Giles actually smirked, maybe it was the turkey and stuffing, but he could look back on that time, with all of its nuances, and analyze it with some objectivity. "I never thought about it like that, why did any of us survive, honestly, I couldn't give you a reason." Giles thought 'we hardly escaped unscathed'

Doyle brought up that subject next "Who was the woman that he killed? The teacher?"

Giles' look hardened like stone, any hint of mirth gone. His friendly chat with Doyle had ended "Frankly, that's none of your business, now if you'll kindly leave."

Doyle said a quick "Sorry I asked." before leaving. While thinking 'I hit a nerve, there's more to it than the Powers showed me. I'll have ask someone else.'

That someone turned out to be Angel, who gave Doyle such a glare. If looks could kill, Doyle would be heavily wounded at least. Angel didn't like to be reminded of his evil side. It was bad enough that he had to remember it first hand, he never wanted to talk about the people he killed. Doyle got the information in passing from Cordelia, who had overheard the question. She wasn't trying to make Angel feel worse than he did. It just turned out that way.

Now Doyle understood Giles' abrupt change in demeanor, and his tension with Angel, despite the watcher's protests to the contrary.

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After Thanksgiving, nothing much happened. And then everything seemed to happen all at once.

First, the big day was approaching. Willow would become a wolf for the first time. Buffy, as the protector of her friend, had mobilized the group to look at the cage and make suggestions on how to expand and reinforce it. Xander had proven to be a great help with that part.

Second, the night before the big day, Buffy had a dream about something called 'the Gentleman'. So that on the very day when the big were-Willow coming out party would happen, the town was strangely quiet. Willow had woken up next to Oz, and tried to give her customary and cheery morning greeting to the young man who always seemed to wake up before her. But she had no voice, and neither did he.

Third, the Mohra demon had made it to Sunnydale. It would take him all day to find his target, none of the demons seemed to be able to say anything. So no information was forthcoming. Willie the bartender and habitual snitch would've gladly given up the location of Angel to the imposing demon warrior, but he hadn't gotten around to using pen and paper quite yet. He knew his customers and their orders, and it was still early in the day.

Willow and Oz had expanded the the cage to include nearly the entire crypt. With a small space and chair for the nightly wolf-sitter who had the requisite tranquilizer gun. They had toyed with the idea of having two separate cages. But Oz had made sure that Willow understood, what happened with Veruca when he killed her, could not happen with Willow when she became a wolf. Oz's human side had been angry with Veruca and that had transferred to the wolf.

Back in the library book return/weapon/wolf containment cage, for privacy sake, sheets and blankets had been put up so Oz could save his clothes from being shredded. Now with both him and his girlfriend, there was the same care taken with the crypt cage. They had discussed giving each other some privacy, but they had agreed, that pre-wolfy clothes saving was something they should do together. Who knew what could happen while they both were animals?

Willow had been fidgety and jumpy the entire day. She could feel the wolf inside gaining strength. Sharper senses, less patience, and a certain territorial nature. Woe to Buffy who accidentally sat on her dorm-mate's bed. Willow had smiled, grabbed her friend, and removed her roughly from the bed. Slayer though she was, Buffy got the message. Do not appear to cross Willow during her wolf days.

By the time the moon was about to rise, Willow was just about ready to scream, and she did, though there was no sound. She and Oz along with nearly everyone else had taken to writing messages in lieu of talking.

So they found themselves in the cage, with Giles standing the first night's watch, they had written most of what they wanted. Oz just needed to know that Willow was prepared for what was about to happen. They had minutes before the moon rose. And they were as ready as they could be. They hugged and kissed, possibly for the last time, and retreated to opposite sides of the cages. Willow laid down and curled up.

She thought that maybe she would get to feel some of the transformation. But it was not to be. She was thrust into unawareness. The next thing she remembered would be waking up the next morning.

Oz had a slightly different experience, parts of his consciousness remained. Not enough to be an intelligent wolf. But there were things he recognized. Certain smells, Willow especially, but the rest of those who watched over him. Where Willow radiated warmth and care, Buffy presented power and a threat, Xander and Giles had almost same smell. The only differences came from their circumstances. Giles had watched him after Buffy had disappeared for the summer after the fiasco with Angel and Acathla. Oz had smelled a nervous energy about the man, as if he expected the caged wolf to break out. And Xander, well, Oz never dwelt on him too much, suffice to say, he never smelled the same way twice.

The new Willow, well, she was something else again, her human smell was still present. But her wolf side brought out a lot of things that had been hidden until now. There was her jealousy over his attentions towards Veruca. There was her rage at finding the two of them together. There was her fear and resentment over being bitten and almost killed by Oz. These were all manifested in Willow springing across the cage and attacking her fellow werewolf.

Giles thought he would have to use the tranquilizer, but while Willow's attack was ferocious, it was without skill, and Oz was able to counter it, and prevent himself from getting killed. He had Willow pinned on the floor. He kept himself just out of reach of her jaws. It was then that Willow had spent her rage. The she-wolf looked up at it's opponent and realized, as much as she was capable, that this other wolf could be something other than a threat. She raised her head and sniffed at the other wolf. Oz smelled Willow again, only she was close enough to touch, it had only happened once before. Oz let the other wolf up. And Giles had the dubious honor of watching Willow and Oz reconcile and then then act on it.

The next morning, as Willow came out of sleep. At least, that's what it felt like, in reality her human side was simply reasserting control. She found herself entangled with Oz. The cage showed signs of a truly epic struggle. Both the fight and the mating could count as such.

Giles had been replaced during the night by Buffy. There was a dazed expression on Giles' face. He thought he had seen most everything, he was wrong. It would take a night's rest and a desperate fight against a vampire to purge the images he had seen.

Willow turned around to face Oz, who was doing the 'watching her sleep' thing, and was about to show him some well-deserved affection, when she tried to speak "Hey." then she seemed surprised.

Oz too was surprised "How do you feel?"

Willow took a brief look at herself and Oz. And she focused on what her body was telling her. They both had scratches. Oz had bruises and partial bite marks on and near his face. Willow discovered she had bruises on her shoulders. As Oz had told her she was tired, sore, and she was blanking on where she had spent the night. Then she realized her position, the warm body next to her, and that over the sheets covering the bottom half of the cage there was no evidence of Giles, so either someone must have replaced him on wolf watch, or they were alone. Since she couldn't see hair, it was probably Buffy or nobody "Oh, okay I guess, you were right."

Oz wasn't pleased, he didn't want to be right, he had hoped her first transformation was different from his and he was about to tell her so when their sitter/Slayer decided to interrupt with a clearing of her throat "Not to ruin how cute you two are, but could we skip the morning snuggle, there's classes and quite the story about last night."

Oz and Willow smiled at each other a moment more before getting up and dressed, discreetly, for Buffy's sake. No sense in being crude. Oz reflected that since everyone had their voices back; that the creepy 'Gentlemen' Buffy had dreamt of were no longer a threat.

After they were dressed and out of the cage, Buffy was about ready to fill them in on the crazy night. It was one she would always remember. But she was cutoff by another voice; belonging to someone coming into the crypt.

"Buffy? Cordelia told me you'd be here, I figured I'd bring breakfast" Oz and Willow both looked surprised at who entered. His all black outfit was as per usual. What was unusual was that it was daylight, that the face was beaming with joy, color, and the warmth of the sun and not brooding. But the final touch was that he was eating something from the bag of food he was holding.

Buffy confirmed it when she smiled and then looked about to get on his case "Angel, couldn't help it huh? This eating thing, not from the blood bank, it must be great."

It didn't take anymore for Oz and Willow to reach the clear conclusion; Angel was human. They both turned to Buffy with Willow asking the question "How?"

Buffy had grabbed the bag from Angel and started passing the food around, the two wolves were grateful, the transformation was quite draining "Well, you see..." and as Buffy told them of the Mohra demon showing up; it was while they were tracking down 'the Gentlemen.' It was a hard fight, but eventually the Slayer and the vampire were able to overpower the assassin, but not before it was sliced open in various places. The demon's blood had splattered on the two, healing their injuries. For Angel, it did more than that.

During the story Oz was reflecting on how much of an influence the Slayer had, she had prevented him from leaving Willow. That had led to a new commitment on his part. All of the subsequent events stemmed from that, not to mention the advice from Giles. And now, her decision to call Angel for help had led to the vampire somehow losing that part of himself.

At that time other beings were also contemplating Buffy, plans that had that were in progress regarding Angel and his role in the world had been ripped apart by her choices.

Willow was considering the state of the group, her and Oz had survived the upheaval of his betrayal and their mutual curse, Xander had something going on with a former vengeance demon, and now Buffy had received an invaluable gift, Willow still remembered how crushed Buffy had been when Angel had announced his intention to leave. Not only was he back, but his reasons for leaving had disappeared.

Oz was doing the same thing, but he incorporated one event that Willow could not know. He thought back to Giles and the trip to the cemetery. It seemed connections and happiness were hitting everyone in the group. If Oz didn't know otherwise, he would've started suspecting a spell of some kind was involved. This wasn't happening to Giles, and Oz began to wonder 'can I help him somehow' It wasn't right that the former Watcher should feel forced to converse with the corpse of a woman long dead.

Given that this was Sunnydale, it wasn't too weird for the dead to come back to life, but Oz didn't have the first clue how to do something like that. Perhaps he should try some more traditional matchmaking approaches first, or just be more of a friend.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up Season 4 "Wild at Heart" up through the rest of the season.

**Author's note: **As with all of my stories, suggestions about future plot developments are welcome and wanted, Reviews of any kind are very much wanted.

Getting Through

**Chapter 5**

In a number of alternate dimensions, Buffy's decisions and actions were causing chaos. More specifically, in that realm where the Powers that Be held sway, there was a great deal of upheaval. For the majority of the Powers, their chosen champion had disappeared in one night. He was now nothing more than a human with a great deal of experience. Their precious visions, given to a select few, were now in the service of the Slayer. She was certainly useful, but she was not a champion of the Powers.

For a particular Power, her grand design was destroyed. She had steered countless beings for centuries, all so she could come to earth and rule over it as was her right. She just wanted to protect humanity from all those who would wish to harm them, even themselves.

But now with Angel as a human and away from Los Angeles, there would be no need for Wolfram &amp; Hart to resurrect Darla. No Darla meant that Angel would never undergo a trial to save her, nor would he ever mate with her in the depths of his despair. Without that there would be no miracle child who could then serve as part of a gateway to earth.

She searched for another way and found to her horror that there was none. She would have to start all over again. Last time she had started with a charismatic and powerful vampire as well as the perfect candidate to serve as the father of the child she would need. The Master, Darla, and Angelus were important parts to her plan. But their roles could be shifted to others. For the rest it just required that she pull at the strings of destiny and timing to gather all of the pieces she would need.

It wouldn't happen quickly, but nevertheless, she would make the Earth her own. For now, she was content to cause havoc where she could, all under the guise of a Power who was simply trying to help.

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The second and third wolf days for Willow and Oz followed their eventful first day. Thankfully, they didn't have to deal with anything as dramatic as Angel becoming human, and the resulting happy, nay ecstatic Buffy that was now around. She was frightening sometimes, her feelings for Angel had always been a powerful influence. For the time being, it was like she was on some sort of very powerful happy pills. Everything was wonderful, everybody was just the best. It was really weird.

Buffy didn't even seem to be bothered when she learned that 'The Gentlemen' had killed far more people than they would have if she and Angel hadn't had to fight the Mohra demon. There was a shy and stuttering girl in the Wicca group that Willow would have liked to help. Unlike most of the so-called witches in the group, the girl was interested in the real aspects of magic. The next Wicca group meeting had a small mourning period for her. The entire group, save Willow, wondered why such a heinous crime had happened on campus. The girl couldn't possibly have any enemies that would cause her such harm. Willow was upset she had been killed, for all of her friends, she really didn't have anyone that shared her interest in magic. Giles came the closest, but he was always wary and guarded, he had already gone through his experimentation phase. Willow was just entering her own, she wondered at the possibilities and potential of magic.

For Willow and Oz, their remaining wolf days and nights were spent comparing notes. When everything had first happened, Oz was certain that he gave Willow nothing more than a curse that could only hurt her and others. After the first three wolf nights, with all of the precautions they and their friends had taken, Oz realized that it was just one more thing that he and Willow could share. Those were the cornerstones of their relationship. They'd connected through mutual skill with computers. They had built something special on a shared desire to fight evil and a mutual affection. Oz made no secret of his feelings while Willow was happy someone felt that way about her. Her crush on Xander had flared to life back in high school, but it had ended fairly quickly.

It was their last morning after being werewolves. There was always some fighting between the two. But it ended in a loving embrace that lasted until morning. Oz always awoke first, he was content to watch Willow sleep. She murmured, snored, and her warmth nestled against him in a most pleasant way. He could stay like this forever. After the first morning, their minders politely withdrew when the sun rose and they began their transformation back into humans. Doyle had taken the second nights watch. Oz remembered his smell. It was similar to other demons he met while he was a wolf.

The third night, and by extension this morning, Anya had surprisingly volunteered. Xander had objected at first, but when she told him why she wanted to watch them, he had reluctantly agreed. Of course, Anya being Anya, she wasn't discreet about her desire to see how another species mated and if there was anything she apply to her relationship with Xander. It left everyone slightly uncomfortable, Anya still hadn't gotten the hang of being tactful.

Oz was brought out of his musings by Willow. She turned towards him and graced him with a smile. It seemed to add light to an already sunlit crypt. She said "Hey, good morning."

Oz thought _'There aren't many better ways to wake up.' _He responded contentedly "Yeah" he held her gaze and the moment for a beat longer, he wanted to make sure this was a memory where he could recall every detail. Then he adopted his usual indifferent expression. He masked many emotions and moods. In this case it was nervousness.

Willow could tell something was wrong, she knew Oz better than most, she reached up and cupped his cheek. "Okay, what's up?"

He turned and kissed her hand, he wanted to show her how he felt, but this had to be said "Wil, thanks for forgiving me, after what I did to you. You could have pushed me away, you should have. You deserve to know why I changed my mind about staying with you now that our first wolf days are done."

"Alright, but the way I see it, your wolfy side was responsible for most of it. Like Buffy with Angel and his evil side. If that was really you, none of this would've happened. Now, do you really need to explain why? You don't have to you know." Willow turned and started to go for her clothes.

Oz stopped her and pulled her back to him "You're mostly right, but so was Buffy when she tore into me on the day after. Much of what happened was my fault. Besides, I'm going for the whole rebuilding trust thing here. It wasn't just that you were almost killed by Spike, there was more to me wanting to stay by your side."

"What else was it?" Willow was increasingly aware of their position, pretty soon they would be doing something besides talking.

Oz thought back to his trip to the cemetery with Giles. "I had a talk with Giles, he told me I shouldn't pull away. He said I'd be left with nothing but regrets. He told me about someone he loved, how he never got to tell her."

"Ms. Calendar?" At his nod, she finally pulled away and started to get dressed, though her body was protesting by this point, it wanted to be back in contact with Oz.

Oz had his own problems to deal with, but he followed Willow's example and started getting dressed "Yeah, the other thing he told me was that I couldn't take any time with you for granted. That 'we' could end suddenly."

"What brought all that out? Giles never talks about her." Willow still remembered the last time she had seen Giles mention Jenny, it was after he was rescued from Spike, Drusilla, and Angelus. He told her what Drusilla had done to him. How the vampire knew exactly how to attack him. The wound left by Jenny's passing had scabbed over. Drusilla had torn the wound open again in the most brutal fashion.

Oz thought back to the matted grass around the grave, and how he knew why it was so. "I'm not supposed to say why."

"Weren't you trying to regain my trust? This secret business won't help with that." Willow was honestly curious. Whatever had caused Oz to make a full tilt shift towards her must have been huge.

Oz was caught. He wanted to tell Willow. However; Giles had placed a condition of secrecy on talking with him. As usual, Willow won out, as long Giles never heard about it. "He visits her, I'd say he does it often, he says he thinks she listens to him. Just, don't tell anyone alright."

"Sure, no problem." Willow was pretty sure she could keep this secret, though her track record suggested otherwise. As they were exiting the crypt, she wondered if she should make more of an effort to comfort Giles. With everything going on, he had to be a bit stressed, and the entire group had overlooked him for a long time. Giles was always dependable, and it was easy to shunt him off into a corner.

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The rogue Power resolved to give with one hand and take with the other. In another timeline she would have been given the name Jasmine by one of her devoted followers. With the actions of the Slayer, she was denied her name and position.

She decided that the group in Sunnydale would be made as content as possible, she would exert her influence and keep most of the major threats away. Except for those that were already present, but with the reduction in demonic activity, even the Initiative would find other towns in which to operate. She would influence the monks of the Order of Dagon to ensure that the Key never approached anywhere near Sunnydale, by extension the hell-goddess Glorificus would encounter another who would dispose of her.

For all of the help and happiness she would provide to those in Sunnydale and those currently heading there, she would visit upon Los Angeles many times the amount of evil. The city would become a battleground. She gave Spike and Drusilla a nudge. Both of them would meet in the city. They would form a new vampire power bloc that was unprecedented in the new world.

Throughout it's history, Eurasia had seen this kind of gathering of vampires time and again. Many historical catastrophes were either initiated or helped along by these armies of demons, entire civilizations were wiped out in antiquity. In the classical and Dark ages, the numerous plagues that swept through the continent were not nearly as deadly as they were thought to be in the modern era. The reason that the death rates were so high was the nightly visitors that fell upon the sick, they were ill-equipped to defend themselves.

She was still a Power, and she wouldn't allow the vampires to rule the city unopposed. Wolfram &amp; Hart would provide credible resistance at times. Many members of the Scourge had a hatred of vampires that echoed human genocides or their attempts in the previous century. Vampires were nothing more than mongrel half-breeds, not true demons, they were infected by humanity. These two forces, law firm and fanatics, would rally most of the other demons in the city. Caught in the middle of this battle, the humans in the city would experience something close to hell on earth. To the outside it would just look like a sharp increase in crime. This cycle was a familiar pattern in many an American city, so there would be very little outside help. The Initiative would inevitably be drawn in.

She would forestall most attempts to end the world. She intended to return to something more than a smoldering ruin. The final part of her plan involved influencing events in other dimensions and directly altering the motivations and actions of a number of people. The key to her plan was to keep anyone from Sunnydale out of Los Angeles. They would only discover the carnage when it was already over and they could do nothing about it.

She was pleased to see that a former Watcher, turned freelance demon hunter, had finally left the city behind. He was heading north to Sunnydale. He hoped that the Hellmouth would provide much better pickings, it being a mystical convergence and all. She would give him just the right incentive to head to Sunnydale and remain for as long as Jasmine wanted him there.

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Jasmine's plan started in many locations and with numerous people at the same time.

In Sunnydale she set Willow and Doyle on a collision course that would lead to a discussion about Giles and his suffering. Giles in turn would begin a research project along with Oz to see if the werewolf transformation could be controlled somehow. She also sent dreams and altered the destiny of a certain Slayer who had nasty run in with a knife and falling off a balcony. Jasmine convinced her fellow Power's that this Slayer could serve as their instrument. Jasmine would have to walk a fine line with this girl. The other Power's would want her in Los Angeles, if she went she could turn the tide of battle in the city. That would not do at all.

In Los Angeles, Spike entered the city. He had to stay as far away from that bloody Slayer and those soldier boys as possible. At Wolfram and Hart, Holland Manners was given a report on the relocation of a small detective business that was becoming a nuisance. Their departure would save the firm quite a bit of money and labor. Charles Gunn and his gang of vampire hunters were seeing a lull in activity in their neighborhoods. This would later prove to be the calm before the storm. However, it allowed Gunn and his friends time to recruit, gather more equipment, and establish more secure locations.

In South America, the vampire Drusilla was given her form of a vision. Her Spike needed her now more than ever. He was adrift and broken in many ways. She would find him and restore him, no matter his past weakness.

Finally, in Pylea, Winifred Burkle had spent the last two days disabling her collar. She had forgotten to eat, she was so focused on her work that she had blocked out everything else. Luckily for her, she knew where many farms were, and she was very good about getting food without getting caught.

Fred had done this many times before. She usually stole animals or crops. She would always prepare her food later when she was back in her cave. Tonight though, she was so very hungry. Her hunger clouded her judgment. The farm she picked had a cauldron of stew simmering overnight. It was full of a small amount of nearly inedible meat, lots of almost rotten vegetables, and a heavy broth with seasoning that would mask the otherwise terrible taste. Fred thought it smelled heavenly, and surely it must taste like something out of a dream.

Countless times before, Fred was utterly silent when collecting food. One slip-up, and the demons and hell-beasts would on her. At best she would be re-sold to a master who would work her until she dropped, of course the alternative was that she would be killed outright.

Tonight was like every other night, Fred entered the house and was well on her way to having some nice, warm stew to take home. She moved like a cat. Until one tragic, very unlikely, and completely forced event happened. Had Fred really been in control, it would never have come to pass. This night turned out to be very different. Fred did the one thing that she thought years of sneaking around would have made impossible.

She tripped.

With an involuntary cry of pain and dismay at the now spilled food, the farm awoke with all the speed of those who were accustomed to looking after themselves. Fred did the only thing she could, she ran. Fear gave her speed. But even that was not enough. What passed for dogs in Pylea had her scent, they would lead their masters to her regardless of the night or anything else. Fred began to weep as she ran. what passed for her life was all but over, she had minutes of freedom left. She was still hungry, tired, and before she would shortly be caught, her thoughts turned towards pity and despair _'What did I ever do to deserve this?' _She briefly thought of her parents, how they must have already found out she was missing, and how crushed they would be once they realized she was dead. Maybe they already thought that. Not that she would ever find out now.

Her frantic pace was causing her to slow down, even the best long distance runners could only sprint for a short distance, her body was telling her many things. Her legs were beginning to hurt and cramp up, also her lungs were starting burn with pain. She was about to collapse.

It was all over for Ms. Burkle, but then again, she was needed elsewhere at the moment. The same force that caused her to trip exerted itself once more. Fred saw the bright flash of an appearing portal. She tried to turn and run around or away from it. The last time she went through a portal, she had ended up in Pylea. But like last time, she was pulled in regardless of her wishes. She screamed again as she disappeared from the terrifying Pylean night.

After the swirling mass of light and the uncomfortable sensation of portal travel, Fred was deposited unceremoniously on the ground. The first thing she noticed was the warmth of the sun, as opposed to the pitch black of the night. She looked around, there was only one of the glowing orbs in the sky. She dared not believe what she hoped, until she saw something that Pylea never had, a paved road. If she wasn't mistaken, it was a highway. Finally, what she heard was a most welcome sound, the dull roar of internal combustion engines both near and far. To this pleasing earthbound melody, she smiled and drifted off, confident that she wouldn't be captured by demons who would kill or enslave her.

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Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, former Watcher, and if he did say so himself, demon hunter extraordinaire, was hoping that areas closer to the Hellmouth would provide more of a way for him to use his talents.

His visit to and through Los Angeles was more of a bust than he cared to admit. The demon he was tracking had slipped his tail. Not only that, but the demon had dropped off the grid entirely, who knew what kind of havoc he would now cause. Those empathic abilities would be a real threat to the demon's targets.

His musings about his recent failure were being steadily drowned out by the thrum of the motorcycle. He was about to start wondering how he would handle coming back to Sunnydale, there were certain people there who would be less than pleased to see him. He would've spent the rest of the trip mulling this over, but then a new situation presented itself.

A swirling disc of light appeared beside the road ahead of him. It was parallel to him. Someone or something was thrown out of it. The portal, for that is what it had to be, closed quite quickly after that. Wesley saw the newly deposited body rise up, turn its head this way and that, and then fall back down.

He slowed the bike down and turned to see what had now entered this world. The fact that it was in a prone position helped to shore up his confidence. If it was a dangerous demon of some sort, he could kill it before before it became a threat. As he got closer though, it looked more and more like a human. As he came up alongside, any uncertainty was removed. It was most definitely a human, and someone who was in a bad way at that. There were beggars and homeless people in Los Angeles that were dressed far better than this person. They also seemed to be able to get far more food. Wesley hopped off his bike and moved to kneel beside the body. He turned it over.

Yet again, Jasmine bore down with her influence, as soon as Wesley saw of the face of the woman whose body he was turning over, his entire thought process changed. He was filled with an overwhelming desire to see that she was safe, cared for, and that she would never be in this deplorable state again. He knew nothing about her except that she needed help right now. His reason and his training would both keep him from making such a commitment, but they were drowned out by a forced compassion. He pulled out a cell phone and called emergency services. He couldn't move her on his motorcycle, and it seemed a prudent assumption that she would require medical attention. As it happened, the nearest hospital capable of handling a patient like this was Sunnydale Memorial.

As he was following the ambulance, he wondered for a moment why he was doing this. The woman he was helping was nothing special. She was in a different dimension, so he was naturally curious. She would be great resource. But that was no reason for him to go all a-flutter when he saw her face. It was absurd that he would feel any affection towards her. His thinking was quashed by a renewed worry for the woman. He hoped he wasn't making a mistake. Sunnydale wasn't the safest town. He vowed to do one other thing. He would enlist the help of Buffy and her friends and make sure this inter-dimensional traveler was kept safe.

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At the hospital, a certain Slayer, who had been in a coma for months, was finally starting to heal. She was currently having a very strange experience. Having an experience of any kind was an improvement over the previous darkness and inability to feel, see, or do anything.

Faith was being confronted by something very powerful. At least that was what she thought. Whatever or whoever this was presented itself as someone Faith would trust. It had tried to use her former Watcher's appearance. That hadn't gone well. Now it used the face of the last person to really care about her. It wasn't the Mayor though, Faith knew what he was like.

The thing that was using his face lacked any of his jovial quality. It was always serious. After it had convinced her that it was there to help. The being got down to its purpose.

"Faith, you are one of the chosen few. You have been wronged, by both friends and enemies. I have come to you with an offer that will make you truly unique." The not-Mayor Wilkins gave a smile that seemed to be both friendly and threatening at the same time.

Faith mental image was almost exactly who she was in the flesh, with some slight improvements. A more idealized version of herself, if she existed in the real world she would have never ended up in this stupid coma "Yeah, so what else is new, I've heard that before."

"Ah, but this time, this really is different. We need a champion, someone above and beyond the Slayer."

The Power was hoping to play on Faith's resentment of Buffy.

Faith liked the idea, she didn't really fit in with the group of 'good guys' in Sunnydale. So she killed someone by accident, and she nearly killed Xander, but he thought he was in some sort of relationship with her, that they actually shared some kind of connection, but why was all that so bad? "Alright, fine, a champion, for who exactly?"

"We are entities known as the Powers That Be." This was going much better than the Power had anticipated, Faith's history suggested she would be difficult and combative, and at some point she would rebel against whatever expectations others put on her.

Faith snorted "Really, you guys couldn't come up anything more corny." She became a little more serious "This champion business, what will I have to do?"

"Ordinarily, we would send you a guide gifted with visions, and you would work to prevent the evil foretold in those visions. However, your situation will be different." The Power was about to launch into the most ticklish part of her plan, she had to make Faith feel important while keeping her and Doyle away from Los Angeles. Ideally, she would stay in Sunnydale, but that would be hard with the hostility she had garnered with her working for the Mayor.

Faith blinked and reflected "Sounds like this is the same game Buffy and her pals are playing at, what's going to be different?"

"Well, your guide doesn't know you're coming, so you can give him the news however you wish. Also, his visions will be regulated. You'll be dealing with things the Slayer could never dream existed. The world is so much bigger than she realizes. Finally, and this should appeal to you, there will be no one to control and dictate to you. We will keep you protected." And there it was, the entire sales pitch.

Faith considered this, it seemed like a great gig. "Well, sounds good, who is this guide anyway?"

"He goes by the name of Doyle. One other thing, your former Watcher, Wesley-something, is currently in this same hospital." The Power knew her history with Wesley, this would be good first test, to see if she could be kept from doing harm to somebody she would like exact some revenge against.

Faith wondered at the new information. That idiot had tried to capture her and ship her off to some prison in England. "Wesley huh, well he did such a bang up job the first time. Sounds like there aren't too many rules. Is there anything I shouldn't do?"

"One of my goals is to keep the group here happy and docile, so none of them is to be harmed." That was really the only big limitation. Faith, being who she was, gravitated towards violence. That was her preferred solution to most problems.

This whole thing was really starting to annoy Faith, she got it, she was going to be somebody. "Fine, fine, whatever, so what now?"

The Power transformed to her original face. She smiled and said in a soothing voice "Now, it's time to wake up."

At that, Faith's eyes snapped open, she took a deep breath, smiled, and thought _'Everybody is going to surprised to see me.'_


End file.
